AMAIN shipping costs are now no longer an issue at all with their new policy. However, no new promo code for Feb and I already used two promo codes from them last month and have another $300 plus order sitting in the shopping cart. Tower is throwing out $50 and even with slightly higher base prices than AMAIN...I still come out ahead with Tower promo vs AMAIN no promo...pretty easy call to make for a consumer. Bummer because I prefer shopping AMAIN...a penny saved is a penny earned however.

AMAIN shipping costs are now no longer an issue at all with their new policy. However, no new promo code for Feb and I already used two promo codes from them last month and have another $300 plus order sitting in the shopping cart. Tower is throwing out $50 and even with slightly higher base prices than AMAIN...I still come out ahead with Tower promo vs AMAIN no promo...pretty easy call to make for a consumer. Bummer because I prefer shopping AMAIN...a penny saved is a penny earned however.

Cheers

Our discount codes always run for 2 months, so the new ones will be released in March. I assume you already have the Jan/Feb ones?

Our discount codes always run for 2 months, so the new ones will be released in March. I assume you already have the Jan/Feb ones?

Hello Sir and thank you for the response.

Yes I have used both upper spending limits codes already that were issued in January and the portal does not allow them to be used more than once. I didn't realize that your SOP was issuance of new promo codes every 60 days.

I do take advantage of them and balance my shopping cart against my wish list to maximize the discount. It is however dissapointing to have desired purchases in excess of the minimum $250.00 and to not be able to utilize the discount more than once in a 60 day period. I understand that may be a teaser but perhaps a $400 or $500 minimum purchase with a 10% discount with an unlimited usage promo code would work for that segment of clients.

While many may really appreciate the minimum $25 free shipping there is a perhaps larger client base that is able to freely spend far greater amounts then $25 per order that still strive for the best overall cost even when orders are in the hundreds.

Currently with the $25 off promo code for purchases in excess of $250 to $749 (I am recalling from memory) you create an incentive to purchase just above $250 but really no incentive to spend beyond that except for a possible one time big ticket purchase. The people that have disposable incomes that allow them to spend $500 to $1,000 per month on a consistent basis for upgrades or spares etc did not achieve that ability by not spending wisely to begin with. A consistent discount for these types of clients actually creates a greater degree of loyalty.

AMAIN has probably one of the best UI and in most cases a solid median item cost(s) compared to other sites. However, when bounced against other sites that offer $50 per $300 and free shipping or even sites that have consistently lower median prices than AMAIN on the same items and charge for shipping, when you aggregate the difference, AMAIN without the 10% promo code fails to be the best value and it becomes even more pronounced when purchase move toward $300 and beyond in a single order.

I don't mind paying a little premium for amainhobbies fast delivery services. Their offer the best combination of all hobby shops online:
customer service are second to none
HUGE inventory
decent prices
fast, fast shipping (of course, with a price)

The other hobby shops may surpass them in on one of the subjects above but they don't cover all bases like Amain.

I have to agree with the poster on this. One thing I hate (I think hate is a strong words) about amain is the rebate which expire after a period of time. Sometime, I want to save on that for much later use for bigger purchase. And I earn the point by spending money with amain so why should my rebate expire?

On the discount code, I'm going for a purchase of $1,200 and yet I'm only getting $25 discount. That is a pathetic 2% discount.

What I did is to really compare prices with Absolute Hobbyz, Infernoonly and break my purchases so amain could easliy earn additional $800 which now go to Absolute Hobbyz just so to maximise my savings.

I would prefer to purchase all from one store but if I can save another $50 to $80, why not?

My local hobby store gives a standard 10% discount to their high spending customers and I'm in their list. Now I only buy from Amain if I really cannot get the items locally and will check it against other hobby store. Would have spend another $600 for the engine and tune pipe but decided to take a trip down to my local store and purchase them. Slight inconvenience but better saving. I could easily save $60.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Contingency

Hello Sir and thank you for the response.

Yes I have used both upper spending limits codes already that were issued in January and the portal does not allow them to be used more than once. I didn't realize that your SOP was issuance of new promo codes every 60 days.

I do take advantage of them and balance my shopping cart against my wish list to maximize the discount. It is however dissapointing to have desired purchases in excess of the minimum $250.00 and to not be able to utilize the discount more than once in a 60 day period. I understand that may be a teaser but perhaps a $400 or $500 minimum purchase with a 10% discount with an unlimited usage promo code would work for that segment of clients.

While many may really appreciate the minimum $25 free shipping there is a perhaps larger client base that is able to freely spend far greater amounts then $25 per order that still strive for the best overall cost even when orders are in the hundreds.

Currently with the $25 off promo code for purchases in excess of $250 to $749 (I am recalling from memory) you create an incentive to purchase just above $250 but really no incentive to spend beyond that except for a possible one time big ticket purchase. The people that have disposable incomes that allow them to spend $500 to $1,000 per month on a consistent basis for upgrades or spares etc did not achieve that ability by not spending wisely to begin with. A consistent discount for these types of clients actually creates a greater degree of loyalty.

AMAIN has probably one of the best UI and in most cases a solid median item cost(s) compared to other sites. However, when bounced against other sites that offer $50 per $300 and free shipping or even sites that have consistently lower median prices than AMAIN on the same items and charge for shipping, when you aggregate the difference, AMAIN without the 10% promo code fails to be the best value and it becomes even more pronounced when purchase move toward $300 and beyond in a single order.

I agree on this, nothing to do with Amain. I had two of my delivery screw up by UPS. It show the item arrive and to be delivered to me but by all miracle, it changed to Customer not at home status.

This I can promise you would be impossible because first, I work from HOME and knowing my hobby stuff coming on that day, would I not make sure I'm at HOME. Second, for them to be able to go up to my unit, the UPS personnel will need to enter my unit number and it will get directed to my mobile so that I can open the door. They might be able to come in if happen someone was coming in at the same time but I'm NOT the only one at home, so it is impossible for anyone at home not to hear the bell. Third, if I'm not at home, there should be some form of receipt to indicate that they tried to deliver to me but I'm not at home, none!

This did not happen once but 3 times. I "F" the whole of UPS personnel on the bad service provided by them on the third time. What piss me off is not about the delay, but the blunt lie that I'm not at home status, not once, not twice, but three times.

Writing email to UPS, calling them to speak to their manager all end up being useless! And UPS site do not have any customer service form for you to give them feedback, most probabaly they know they are providing a fuck up service!

Saying all this, it's has nothing to do with Amain, they did get my package out on the same day since I always check on the rush order (they never fail on that). But maybe Amain might be able to give feedback on this or put some pressure on UPS to buck up.

Quote:

Originally Posted by rider313

You can thank the shipping provider for that. I ordered on the 24th and didnt get it till yesterday. Used UPS ground. It sat at a UPS store for 3 days. You dont se me conplaining, There Nothing Amain has to do about that. I selected rush and they had it out the first day they were open. So start a UPS forum and complain about them.

I understand completely. We've simply chosen to go a different route with our pricing model.

Our goal is not to win customers on price alone, but to provide excellent service that increases the value of shopping with us for all customers, regardless of how much they spend. That's why we maintain such a wide variety of inventory, employ a large customer service staff, and have the warehouse personnel required to get your order out the door quickly. Our in-house IT department is able to implement customer-friendly features like the free t-shirt promo, intelligent real-time inventory management, and the shipping estimator, all aimed at providing the best shopping experience.

Of course, all of this costs money. To provide these services, and this level of attention, while selling products at a significantly lower margin just isn't feasible.

I understand and have no qualms whatsever with your service and selection as it is definitely top tier in your highly competative industry. I also for a number of years co-owned a web based aftermarket parts business and realize the operational costs (fixed overhead) that has to be covered every month regardless of that month's sales volume.

I do appreciate you taking the time to comment on the issue and that alone speaks volumes about your company.

I will read up on your reward points and how those play into the overall scheme, hopefully they are better than my Delta frequent flier miles as those are worth absolutely nothing to me for international travel. And Delta as a whole pretty much sucks...LOL

Cheers!

Quote:

Originally Posted by kendallb

drstrangelove and Contingency,

I understand completely. We've simply chosen to go a different route with our pricing model.

Our goal is not to win customers on price alone, but to provide excellent service that increases the value of shopping with us for all customers, regardless of how much they spend. That's why we maintain such a wide variety of inventory, employ a large customer service staff, and have the warehouse personnel required to get your order out the door quickly. Our in-house IT department is able to implement customer-friendly features like the free t-shirt promo, intelligent real-time inventory management, and the shipping estimator, all aimed at providing the best shopping experience.

Of course, all of this costs money. To provide these services, and this level of attention, while selling products at a significantly lower margin just isn't feasible.